Jamming the key into the lock, Alexis pushed open the door to her dorm room. Shivering from the cold eminating from the open window, she flicked on a small table lamp, shut and locked the window. Dropping her bookbag to the floor, Alexis took off her coat, pulled out her laptop, and plugged in the internet connection cord. A familiar muffled polyphonic song began to play. Reaching into her bag, Alexis flipped open her phone.
"Hello?" she asked, using her free hand to log onto the internet.
"Alexis, darling! Its so good to hear your voice!" her mother gushed.
"Mom, I called you...what, two weeks ago? Do you want me to call everyday?" Exasperated, she typed in her account name and password while holding the phone with her shoulder.
"Alexis, whats wrong? You don't seem like yourself. Did something happen at work? Don't tell me you lost your internship! You did didn't you? Alexis! You need the work experience to get a secure job!" Her mother always tended to make a big scene out of something trivial.
Sighing, she replied, "Mom, I didn't lose my internship and I know how important it is for me getting a job there, its just..."
"'Just' what honey? Did you meet a guy? Are you and Lisa in an argument?" her mother asked worriedly.
"No, I didn't meet a guy and Lisa and I aren't fighting."
"Well then, what is it? The way you're carrying on it sounds like you're pregnant or something." There was a short pause on the line before her mother asked meekly, "You aren't pregnant, right?"
"No mom!" she sighed, "Im having 'technincal difficulties' with Hamilton. A man named Jack Ferriman came into the office today and said he found a lost ship in Lake Michigan. He wants the museum to restore it to its original state in two months." Alexis looked up at her door; she could hear a group of kids laughing as they banged into the walls of the hallway.
"Why are you sad? That's great! You'll have the chance to work on the restoration! The museum will have to hire you!"
"No, mom. I asked Hamilton if I would be working on it and he got angry and said no. He told me to write up a paper on the history of the ship and other cruise ships of its kind for tomorrow morning."
The line was silent for a moment before her mother replied, "Hamilton...what a stuffy, grouchy old coot!"
Alexis smiled to herself, her mother never swore and she made up for it by using outdated 'cuss' words.
"Maybe he will lighten up and let me help out here and there," Alexis replied, knowing it will never happen.
"What is Mr. Ferriman going to do with the boat once its restored? Will he donate it to a museum?"
"From what Mr. Ferriman said about the boat it seems as though the Corona was the first, and last, cruise ship on Lake Michigan. It was scheduled to embark from Chicago and travel twelve hours to Mackinac Island, only, the ship never made it. No wreckage ever was found and apparently, Mr. Ferriman found it. He wants it reconditioned so it can finish her maiden voyage to Mackinac Island. And he wants it done in two months, so now I have to pull another all-nighter finding information on this ship and create a full history for him." Alexis hugged the phone with her shoulder and did a quick search on the ship.
"Well wont he be surprised when you hand in a perfect paper?" Alexis could hear the smile in her voice, "Well, I should let you go...don't burn yourself out okay? I love you."
"Love you too, bye." Alexis pressed 'end' on her phone and turned her full attention to writing the report.

After an hour of researching, Alexis glanced at the time on her computer. It read '8:34'. I better get something to eat soon, she thought, saving her research and turning off the computer. Just as she was grabbing her coat, there was a loud knock on her door. Opening it up, she smiled and let Lisa in.
Alexis met Lisa in a sophomore English Lit. class. They were partnered up in a 'get-to-know-your-classmates' type exercise and soon became good friends. Lisa was a bit taller than and had short curly blond hair. She had a lean figure and showed it off whenever she could.
"Hi!" Lisa exclaimed, stepping inside, "I tried your cell and I got a busy signal, so I thought I would come over and see you instead."
"I was talking to my mom. That was like over an hour ago- what took you so long?" Alexis pulled on her coat.
"Yeah, well, when there are sooo many cute guys here- its hard to get anywhere on time!" Lisa laughed and sat down on her friend's bright blue chair.
"I was just about to get something to eat, wanna come?"
"Sure! I already had dinner but I could go for dessert!" Lisa replied jumping up.

The two girls headed down Milwaukee Ave. in search of something cheap and quick. The cold night air nipped at their faces while restyling their hair. Spotting a small café up the street, Alexis pointed and Lisa followed. As they walked, Alexis told Lisa about the day's events and Jack Ferriman.
"Wow, millions of dollars? Hey, maybe Hamilton can afford to pay you now!" Lisa joked.
"Ha, ha. At least I will get some exposure to the restoration process."
"You should take a day off Alexis, we can explore the city togther! It would be so much fun! I never can get enough of this city," Lisa said in awe, looking at the tall buildings and the congested traffic.
"I can." Alexis said, settling deeper into her coat.
"I know I've been here for four years, but everyday I see something new. Seriously Alexis, think about getting off. That schedule of yours is killer! When youre not at school youre at work, and when youre not at work youre at school!" Lisa squinted as she stared across the street.
"Hey! A Baskin Robbins! I have to check out that new sundae that I saw on TV! I'll be right back!" she called, dodging cars and getting a honk.
Alexis watched her cross the street and enter the store. A cold gust of wind whipped her and she shivered. She backed up and leaned against an outside wall of a dry-cleaners. Several people passed by as she watched her friend looking up at the menu.
"Cold?" a voice said, coming up next to her.
Alexis turned to see who was speaking to her and when she recognized him, she couldn't help but burst into a huge smile.
"Mr. Ferriman, isn't it?" Alexis beamed, holding out her hand. He was wrapped up in a long, warm coat and had a scarf around his neck.
Jack shook it and smiled, "Jack is just fine; I didn't catch your name though...".
"Alexis. Alexis Manning," she tried to stifle her huge smile but found it literally impossible, "So, Jack, are you staying downtown here?"
"Yes. Im at the Crowne Plaza. I'll be here until the Corona is completed."
Alexis glanced back at Baskin Robbins.
"Well I'm glad I bumped into you..." Jack shifted his weight and smiled, "So I presume I'll be seeing a lot of you. I don't have any other business here, and I'd like to see how the restoration process actually works. Maybe you can show me sometime.".
"Actually, I'm not allowed to restore anything. I'm an intern and Mr. Hamilton will probably have me writing the proposal and running errands the next two months. I will probably need to keep working on the refurbishing of the ship exhibit so that doesn't get left behind." Alexis looked down at her feet.
"Well if you're Mr. Hamilton's intern and he's in charge, Im sure I'll be seeing you again soon." Jack smiled knowingly and turned and walked down the street.
"I think he likes you!" Lisa's voice came from behind her, "Was that Ferriman? He is hot!"
Alexis giggled, "Do you really think he's interested?"
"Did you see the way he was smiling at you? What did he say? I couldn't make out most of it because of the loud traffic." Lisa said, eating a spoonful of fudge.
"He wanted to know if he was going to see me again and I told him I wasn't restoring the ship. He said that since I'm Hamilton's intern that he'll probably see me soon." Alexis began walking towards the café, all smiles.
"Girl, you need to catch that fish! Bait your line and wait until you get him to bite, then reel him on in! Damn! He's got to be worth millions if the project costs that much!" Lisa took another bite of her sundae.
"Lisa, I'm not interested in his money."
Lisa almost choked on her ice cream, "'Not interested in his money'? Alexis, you are twenty two years old and live in the dorms! When was the last time you bought a new outfit?"
Alexis thought for a moment and replied, "Oh I don't know, two, three months ago?"
"Alexis, face it. Even if you get a job at the museum- the pay is going to be shit until you've been there for like fifty years!"
Laughing, Alexis pushed open the door to the café, "I know, but I love being there and working with the artifacts and researching the history of each piece."
Lisa rolled her eyes and said, "By the time you have enough money to get an apartment, you'll be an artifact!"
The two girls laughed and took a seat by the window. While looking at the menu trying to decide what she was hungry for, Alexis' thoughts kept coming back to Jack Ferriman.